Rafa Nadal: I knew Andy’s chance would come again

It is the late evening in Sardinia where I am having a small holiday and I have had a call saying that Andy Murray has reached the final of Wimbledon. I did not see the match, but I can only begin to imagine the emotions he must have been feeling.

For Andy this is an amazing achievement. It is the home tournament. To be in the final, to be playing against the best in history in Roger Federer, he has been fighting for this for a long time and now it has happened. I am very happy for him.

To be in so many Wimbledon semi-finals and not be in the final — I am sorry that it was me who beat him on the last couple of occasions — is disappointing for him, but I knew the chance would come again and that if it did come, he would take it.

For me, he has had a great career already, even without winning a final of a grand-slam, but this means so much more. This is the special one of the four major tournaments we have in our sport, especially for a player from Britain.

This is the best possible final for Wimbledon. They deserve it. I wish all the people there that it is a great occasion. I know what it is like to play Roger on the last day of a major championship. He is still here after years and years of competing and if he wins the tournament he will become the No 1 player in the world again. He deserves that, Andy deserves to win a grand-slam. It is going to be a special afternoon.

For me, 2008 against Roger is still an unforgettable memory. It is impossible to describe or to put into words how I felt that day but it was beautiful, I know that. It was my dream always to win Wimbledon and I am sure the same is true for Andy. All I know is that it will be a match that no one who sees it will forget. I don’t know if I will be watching or not, it depends on my schedule.

I am a little sad that it is not me who is playing. I had to cancel an exhibition I was due to play against Novak Djokovic in the Bernabéu stadium in Madrid next Sunday for my foundation because I am still having some problems with my knees.

I needed a couple of infiltrations after the French Open final and I was not at my best to play at Wimbledon. I am very sorry for that but I have to look after myself first.

I’ve had a good year so far, I believe. I won Monte Carlo for the eighth time, Barcelona for a seventh time, Rome for the sixth time and Roland Garros for a seventh time, so I cannot be too disappointed with that.

I want to find the best tennis levels of my career again and to do that I have to make sure that I rest properly. I am hoping, hoping that I will be all right to play in the Olympic Games.